This invention relates to substituted N-arylindoles, a process for producing them and their use as herbicides. In particular, this invention relates to substituted N-arylindoles of the formula ##STR2## in which:
R is hydrogen; halogen; nitro; cyano; alkyl; alkoxy; alkenyloxy; alkynyloxy; alkoxyalkyl; carbonylalkoxy; alkyloxyalkoxy; cyanoalkoxy; benzyloxy; alkoxycarbonylalkoxy; alkylcarbonylalkoxy; haloalkyl; hydroxalkyl; formyl; azido; carboxy or its salts; COOalkyl; amino; substituted amino wherein the substituents are alkyl, alkoxy, hydroxy, formyl, alkylcarbonyl, substituted alkylcarbonyl substituted with carboxy or alkoxycarboxy, alkylsulfonyl, haloalkylsulfonyl, aminocarbonyl, (di)alkylaminocarbonyl, alkoxycarbonyl, alkoxyalkyl, hydroxycarbonylalkyl, alkoxycarbonylalkyl, amino or (di)alkyl amino; carboxyamido; substituted carboxyamido wherein said substituents can be selected from alkyl, alkylsulfonyl, and haloalkylsulfonyl; sulfonamido wherein the N is substituted with hydrogen and/or alkyl; YR.sup.4 wherein Y is O or S(O).sub.m and R.sup.4 is selected from the group hydrogen, alkyl, haloalkyl, cyanoalkyl, alkoxycarbonylalkyl, hydroxycarbonylalkyl and aminocarbonylalkyl wherein the N is substituted with hydrogen and/or alkyl;
n is 0 to 4 and
m is 0 to 2;
R.sup.1 is hydrogen, alkyl, halogen, cyano, haloalkyl, alkoxy, or carboxy or a salt or ester thereof;
q is 0 to 2;
X is hydrogen, halogen, cyano, nitro, alkylthio, alkylsulfinyl, alkylsulfonyl, haloalkyl or alkoxy;
k is 0 to 2;
Z is N or C--R.sup.2 ; wherein R.sup.2 is hydrogen, halogen, haloalkyl, cyano, nitro, alkythio, alkylsulfinyl, alkylsulfonyl or alkoxy;
R.sup.3 is hydrogen, haloalkyl, haloalkoxy, cyano, halogen, or SO.sub.y R.sup.5 wherein R.sup.5 is alkyl or haloalkyl and y is 0, 1 or 2; and
agriculturally acceptable salts thereof.